Challengers is a movie that delves deep into the twisted side of romance just as much as it does the relentless intensity on the tennis court. It’s a movie that is superbly acted, with a lot of moments where the characters are pushed to the edge both mentally and even romantically. Still, it takes time in other areas, which can be heart-pounding or frustrating.
The movie stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a highly motivated tennis player who befriends two other players: Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) and Art Donaldson (Mike Faist). Patrick and Art are childhood friends and partners on the court who are both attracted to Tashi. The boys have a match coming up and Tashi tells them that she’ll go out with the winner.
Patrick wins, but she ultimately ends up with Art, even marrying and having a daughter with him. Still, Patrick is clinging to the hope that Tashi will come back to him. The two use sneaky ways to see each other behind Art’s back, but he may actually know about their meetings.
Tashi ends up retiring due to an injury, and she becomes Art’s coach. Patrick and Art are no longer friends by this point.
Challengers is a film that is advertised as a steamy romantic drama, and it certainly has those scenes, but it also features a lot of dialogue-driven scenes in which the characters are allowed to be articulate and discuss their strategies both on and off the court.
It’s a credit to director Luca Guadagnino and screenwriter Justin Kurtizkes for allowing these actors to have moments where they can see, talk, and witness the events in their lives that can affect the way they play tennis and their relationships.
The movie’s weak point is that some scenes are allowed to go on much further than needed, such as in the climax with its repetitious electronic nightclub music and the editing in which the camera spends a lot of time on the looks of the characters instead of letting the action play out. It takes its time, but sometimes it takes too much time.
Nevertheless, the performances are the selling point throughout. This might’ve been the good, trashy fun some audiences might’ve wanted with the Fifty Shades movies.
Challengers sometimes serves and misses, but overall it’s mostly game, set, match when it comes to being entertaining enough to recommend.
Grade: B+
(Rated R for language throughout, some sexual content and graphic nudity.)
